Chinese by Topic
Food & Dining Chinese — Restaurant Vocabulary & Menu Reading
From calling the waiter to reading a menu you have never seen before, this guide covers the vocabulary, phrases, and cultural knowledge you need to eat well in China.
At the Restaurant (在餐厅)
Chinese restaurants range from tiny hole-in-the-wall noodle shops to multi-floor banquet halls. These 15 words cover the basics you will encounter in any setting.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 菜单 | càidān | menu | |
| 点菜 | diǎncài | order food | |
| 服务员 | fúwùyuán | waiter / server | Used to call a waiter |
| 买单 / 结账 | mǎidān / jiézhàng | pay the bill | Both forms are used |
| 打包 | dǎbāo | takeaway / doggy bag | Take leftovers home |
| 堂食 | táng shí | dine in | |
| 外卖 | wàimài | delivery / takeout | Meituan (美团) and Ele.me |
| 套餐 | tàocān | set meal / combo | |
| 小吃 | xiǎochī | snack / street food | |
| 主食 | zhǔshí | staple food (rice, noodles) | |
| 饮料 | yǐnliào | drinks / beverages | |
| 甜点 | tiándiǎn | dessert | |
| 辣 | là | spicy / hot (chilli) | |
| 不辣 | bù là | not spicy | Ask for this if you can't handle heat |
| 素食 | sùshí | vegetarian food |
Ordering Phrases
In Chinese restaurants, you typically need to call the server over — they will not come to check on you repeatedly. Say 服务员！ clearly to get attention.
服务员！
Fúwùyuán!
Waiter! / Excuse me! (to call server)
我要点菜了。
Wǒ yào diǎncài le.
I'm ready to order.
这个是什么？
Zhège shì shénme?
What is this?
你们推荐什么？
Nǐmen tuījiàn shénme?
What do you recommend?
不要辣，谢谢。
Bù yào là, xièxie.
No spice please.
打包，谢谢。
Dǎbāo, xièxie.
Can I have this to go / packed up?
买单，谢谢。
Mǎidān, xièxie.
Bill please.
可以开发票吗？
Kěyǐ kāi fāpiào ma?
Can I have a receipt / invoice?
Types of Chinese Cuisine
“Chinese food” is not one cuisine — it is dozens of distinct regional traditions as different from each other as French food is from Italian. The eight great cuisines (八大菜系) each have distinct techniques, flavour profiles, and key dishes. Here are six of the most widely known.
| Cuisine | Pinyin | Region | Key characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| 粤菜 | Yuècài | Guangdong (Canton) & Hong Kong | Light, fresh flavours; dim sum (点心); steaming and stir-frying; seafood-forward |
| 川菜 | Chuāncài | Sichuan | Bold, spicy, and numbing (麻辣 málà); uses Sichuan peppercorns; mapo tofu, hot pot |
| 湘菜 | Xiāngcài | Hunan | Spicy but not numbing; sour and smoky notes; Chairman Mao's favourite cuisine |
| 北京菜 | Běijīng cài | Beijing / Imperial China | Imperial palace cuisine; Peking duck (北京烤鸭); wheat-based; savoury and hearty |
| 闽菜 | Mǐncài | Fujian | Seafood-heavy; umami-rich broths; clear soups; often sweet-and-savoury |
| 淮扬菜 | Huáiyáng cài | Jiangsu & Zhejiang | Refined and delicate; sweet-savoury balance; knife-work emphasis; soup dumplings |
30 Essential Food Words
These are the dishes and ingredients you will encounter most often — from everyday staples to famous regional specialities. Recognising these on a menu will go a long way.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 饺子 | jiǎozi | dumplings (boiled) | |
| 包子 | bāozi | steamed buns (filled) | |
| 面条 | miàntiáo | noodles | |
| 米饭 | mǐfàn | steamed rice | |
| 粥 | zhōu | congee / rice porridge | |
| 火锅 | huǒguō | hot pot | |
| 烤鸭 | kǎoyā | roast duck | Peking duck = 北京烤鸭 |
| 豆腐 | dòufu | tofu / bean curd | |
| 蛋炒饭 | dàn chǎofàn | egg fried rice | |
| 宫保鸡丁 | gōngbǎo jīdīng | kung pao chicken | |
| 麻婆豆腐 | mápó dòufu | mapo tofu (spicy tofu) | |
| 红烧肉 | hóngshāo ròu | red-braised pork belly | |
| 清蒸鱼 | qīngzhēng yú | steamed fish | |
| 炒青菜 | chǎo qīngcài | stir-fried green vegetables | |
| 榨菜 | zhàcài | pickled mustard greens | |
| 花生 | huāshēng | peanuts | |
| 豆浆 | dòujiāng | soy milk | |
| 油条 | yóutiáo | fried dough stick (youtiao) | |
| 小笼包 | xiǎolóngbāo | soup dumplings (Shanghai) | |
| 汤包 | tāngbāo | soup bun / steamed soup dumpling | |
| 锅贴 | guōtiē | pan-fried dumplings (potstickers) | |
| 煎饼 | jiānbing | savoury crepe (street food) | |
| 臭豆腐 | chòu dòufu | stinky tofu (fermented) | Strong smell, popular street food |
| 凉皮 | liángpí | cold skin noodles | |
| 羊肉串 | yángròu chuàn | lamb skewers | |
| 冰糖葫芦 | bīngtáng húlu | candied hawthorn on a stick | |
| 汤圆 | tāngyuán | glutinous rice balls in soup | Eaten at Lantern Festival |
| 月饼 | yuèbǐng | mooncake | Mid-Autumn Festival |
| 粽子 | zòngzi | sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaf | Dragon Boat Festival |
| 年糕 | niángāo | New Year rice cake | Spring Festival |